England squad

[jgriffin]

England squad (25)
Forwards (14)
Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
Nick Easter (Harlequins)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, captain)
Henry Thomas (Bath Rugby)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Backs (11)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)?
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

[Guinness&Nuts]

I must be missing something...... Only 2 x second rowers in the 25 man squad, with only Croft for cover. Looks like Tom is set for the bench.

What on earth has happened to D Care?

I have a nasty feeling we may be in for a long night on Friday.

[TigerLad]

Yep, Kruis is obviously better than Kitch.....

[4071]

Yep, Kruis is obviously better than Kitch.....

And apparently Nick Easter and/or Tom Croft are better locks, too...

[4071]

1. Marler
2. Hartley
3. Cole
4. Attwood
5. Kruis
6. Haskell
7. Robshaw
8. Vunipola

9. Youngs
10. Ford
11. May
12. Burrell
13. Joseph
14. Watson
15. Brown

16. Youngs
17. Vunipola
18. Brookes
19. Easter
20. Croft
21. Wigglesworth
22. Cipriani
23. Twelvetrees

Travelling reserves
Thomas
Nowell

I understand the need for an experienced No8 at the back in case Billy gets injured, but what about... uh... James Haskell, who has about a dozen caps at No8 and has played there intermittently throughout his career? Wouldn't it make more sense to have him cover No8 and a lock to cover in the second row? Neither Easter or Croft has played there internationally and they have rarely played there at clubs level.

[Iain]

Yep, Kruis is obviously better than Kitch.....

And apparently Nick Easter and/or Tom Croft are better locks, too...

I'd have started Kitch, but Kruis is a good option too. You could probably toss a coin.

Croft is clearly there as lock cover as well as back row cover. It just frees up a spot on the bench since Croft can do a more than able job at lock.

This one does make sense to be fair, as unfortunate as it is for Kitch.

[JackFlashJonny]

They are obviously confident at scrum then as Croft at lock is a very very lightweight option coming through..

Pretty harsh on Danny Care but looks as though kicking has let him down as we don't want North et al gobbling up those..

[RagingBull]

Disgusting.

[The Boy Dave]

Could be Robshaw moving to lock and Haskell to seven if required.

[JackFlashJonny]

Disgusting.

Please expand on this RB what has riled you so the lack of lock?

[RagingBull]

The fact that Croft and Cole are both in there despite not proving themselves first at club.

Cole hasn't played for a month, Croft has played like 4 games in a year.

Kitchener has been imo the form fit lock.

[The Boy Dave]

The fact that Croft and Cole are both in there despite not proving themselves first at club.

Cole hasn't played for a month, Croft has played like 4 games in a year.

Kitchener has been imo the form fit lock.

I understand about Croft and Cole, but do you think Kitchener has shown anywhere near the standard of Launchberry, Lawes, Slater, Attwood etc, because I do not, bearing in mind that Wales and others are likely to be massive physical encounters!

[JackFlashJonny]

Burrell starts at 12 with Joseph!

15. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 33 caps)
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, 4 caps)
13. Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby, 6 caps)
12. Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 11 caps)
10. George Ford (Bath Rugby, 6 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 42 caps)

1. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 26 caps)
2. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 61 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 45 caps)
4. David Attwood (Bath Rugby, 16 caps)
5. George Kruis (Saracens, 4 caps)
6. James Haskell (Wasps, 53 caps)
7. Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins, 32 caps)
8. Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 12 caps)

Replacements

16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 17 caps)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 15 caps)
18. Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons, 6 caps)
19. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
20. Nick Easter (Harlequins, 47 caps)
21. Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens, 16 caps)
22. Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks, 9 caps)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 16 caps)

[sapajo]

Easter will provide cover for No8 and lock from the bench.

[4071]

The fact that Croft and Cole are both in there despite not proving themselves first at club.

Cole hasn't played for a month, Croft has played like 4 games in a year.

Kitchener has been imo the form fit lock.

I understand about Croft and Cole, but do you think Kitchener has shown anywhere near the standard of Launchberry, Lawes, Slater, Attwood etc, because I do not, bearing in mind that Wales and others are likely to be massive physical encounters!

Surely it's irrelevant whether Kitch has shown the standard of Laucnhbury, Lawes, Slater and Attwood? Three of those are unavailable and another one is starting. What SHOULD be relevant is whether Kitch has shown more than whoever is being picked as lock cover on the bench.

Do you think Kitchener has shown more at lock than Croft or Easter this season?